Consumers Union on Comcast-Charter deal: Hard to see any benefits for consumers, competition

WASHINGTON – Cable companies Comcast and Charter Communications today announced a $20 billion deal as Comcast seeks government approval for its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable.

If Comcast succeeds in merging with Time Warner, Comcast would acquire Charter’s customers in Los Angeles, Charter would acquire more customers in the Midwest, and Comcast would spin off some customers for a new, public company jointly owned by Comcast and Charter.

Delara Derakhshani, policy counsel for Consumers Union, “This is a very complicated deal, but it looks like Comcast and Charter are trying to carve up the marketplace to their benefit, and it’s hard to see how any of this benefits consumers or competition.”